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SENIOR DESIGN 2012: COCKPIT DISPLAY Mentor: Joe SwatySponsor: Dr. Eduard Tudoreanu Team: Heather Buckley, Steven Long, & Steven Yeager ABSTRACT Spatial disorientation is the mistaken perception of one’s position and motion relative to the earth. Most often, this phenomenon occurs to general aviation aircraft pilots in-flight. The in-flight environment is unfamiliar to the human body and creates sensory conflicts and illusions that make spatial orientation difficult, sometimes impossible, to achieve. A pilot’s perception of which way is up, where the ground is and which direction they are traveling then become a blur. Without clear visual references, spatial disorientation begins to set in at a rapid pace; the life expectancy of a pilot without visual references is 178 seconds from disorientation to crash. According to the FAA, roughly 10% of all general aviation accidents can be attributed to spatial disorientation, and 90% of these accidents are fatal. Working with Dr. Tudoreanu of the University of Arkansas, Little Rock via teleconference and long distance communication, we were tasked with reducing the impact of spatial disorientation on general aviation pilots. Our team created a mountable display that will assist the pilot from becoming disoriented when outside visual references are lost. This display will be used in conjunction with the primary instrument system of the aircraft and will provide additional cues for the pilot in case of spatial disorientation onset. TESTING AND ANALYSIS CHART SUMMARY PROBLEM DEFINITION Create a mountable display that will assist the pilot from becoming disoriented when outside visual references are lost. This display is to be used in conjunction with the airframes primary instrument system. THE FINAL DESIGN The Finalized design consists of multiple parts. Beginning from the roof contact points, consist of two rubber pads on each side of the projector casing. The Projector casing is a steel housing specifically designed to house an Epson EX5210 Multimedia Projector. Under stress analysis the casing has been proven to absorb enough force to be able to withstand the forces of a small aircraft in flight. Under the projector is the first mount connecting the projector to the two-piece center shaft. The top section of the center shaft is a ¾ in. steel rod, thirty-four inches long. It has 22 inches of tube followed by a six inch threaded section and another 6 inches of unthreaded tubing. This top center rod threads into a second rod, twenty-eight inches long. This second rod is 1in. tubing that consists of a six inch unthreaded section followed by a six inch section of thread on the inside of the tube. The center rod connects into a base that is connected to a six by six inch rubber pad two inches thick, for shock absorbency; this is the contact point to the floor of the cabin of the plane. The purpose of the center rod is to allow adjustment in size of the device, thus creating more pressure between the floor and roof, creating more stability within the device. This also allows for the device to be adjustable between 39 inches and to 50 inches, well above the average height for any general aviation aircraft. To create simplicity in the rotation of the device, both pieces of the center rod have rubber grips, three inches long. CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS ● A mountable display that can communicate information easily to the pilot ● Easily removed without the use of tools ● Must be ergonomic, non disruptive and user friendly ● Instruments must remain visible at all times ● Must enhance pilot’s awareness ● Must be able to display programmable information ● Must comply with FAA 14 CFR Section 21 Subpart D ● Field of view must remain unobstructed during flight ● Must be reliable and easy to understand PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS ● All Instruments and gauges will be visible to the pilot at all times ● There will be full movement of flight controls ○ The device will remain within 5 inches of the aircraft wall ● >95% of the windows will remain visible ● System will remain maintenance free for 500 flight hours ● Unit cost under $1000 ● System weight under 15lbs ● Sized to allow easy installation: Can be modular. ○ The largest dimension will not exceed 24 inches ○ 2nd largest dimension will not exceed 18 inches ○ 3rd largest dimension will not exceed 5 inches ● System will be capable of running a pre-flight display check at start-up ● Rounded edges to reduce the risk of injury ● Unit will remain securely mounted if the aircraft were to stall 5 ft off the ground on landing ● Color display ● Will not alter airframe ● System will be installed in the interior ADDITIONAL PRODUCT INFORMATION AND PRICING The suggested projector for use with the display is lightweight and high powered with a power consumption of 283 watts. ● Details Projector: Pixel Number: 1024 x 768 Light Output: 2800 lumens Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Size (projected distance): 30" – 350" Power Supply Voltage: 100 – 240 V ±10%, 50/60 Hz Power Consumption: -Normal mode: 283 W -Power Off mode: 0.4 W Excluding feet: 11.6" x 9.0" x 3.0" (W x D x H) Weight: 5.1 lb The following price list is based on an estimate of production by Design Catalyst, Inc. ● Pads- Rubber -top, bottom, and grips $3.00 ● Projector Casing- Plastic -$5.00 ● Top Mount connecting projector to center rod- Plastic -$1.50 ● Shafts - top $12.00 -bottom $12.50 Projector -$200.00 ● Total Package Price: $234.00 ● Display Mount Only Production Costs: $34.00 CONCLUSIONS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The final product designed for this project was a success. The team successfully designed a working solution for Dr. Eduard Tudoreanu that satisfies all requirements of design. Several difficulties were encountered along the way such as communication, but through the leadership and guidance of our professors, mentors and customer, this project has become a reality. Our unique challenge of never meeting our customer in person and interacting only through teleconference, phone, text, and email proved to be easily overcome and a valuable learning experience for our team. The group made substantial progress throughout the year and has completed the final project by the end of the school year. Throughout the course of the year, the team has logged in approximately 1800 hours on this project. It is our goal that through this project that we can help to eliminate aircraft crashes and, therefore, loss of life due to spatial disorientation and low visibility. Without the support of our project leaders, this project would not have been possible. Thanks to the dedication and guidance of our mentor and liaison, Joe Swaty, the helpfulness and direction from our sponsor, Dr. Eduard Tudoreanu, and the patience and motivation of our professor, Dr. Peter Gorder, we have successfully completed our capstone senior design project for 2012.